Dr. Brad Knapp and Dr. Kelly Knapp, a father-daughter pair who live in Chester Township, last week collaborated on a four-tooth root canal surgery on Killian, a German Shepherd member of the Ashtabula County Sheriff's Department K9 Corps. When the root canals were completed, bite impressions were taken so metal crowns can be made to bring the dog's teeth back to full function.

This is not a family duo that usually works together. While Brad is a dentist, Kelly is a veterinarian in practice at the Meadowlands Veterinary Center. She joined the Willoughby practice in June, when she graduated with honors from the Ohio State University School of Veterinary Medicine.

The elder Knapp donated his services on his day off as a way to train Kelly on dental procedures rarely used by veterinarians.

"The techniques are exactly the same for a dog as for a human," Brad said.

But neither thought they'd be able to work together professionally.

Three generations of Knapps have been dental professionals, so when Kelly showed promise in the sciences during high school, her father hoped she'd follow him, her grandfather and great-grandfather into dentistry.

He's been in practice since 1982, assuming the thriving dental practice of his dad, Dr. Ralph Knapp, after his 1982 graduation from Case Western Reserve University dental school. His grandfather, Frank Knapp, was a Cleveland dental technician and lab owner who taught many dentists to make dentures and removable appliances.

But as girl at Beaumont High School, Kelly had a love for animals that became her calling, her dad said. Her high school science fair project showing that garlic oil was effective against Staphylococcus bacteria helped win Kelly a scholarship to the College of Wooster, from which she graduated with honors. During her four years at the Ohio State School of Veterinary Medicine she worked with Dr. Scott Shell at Thistledown race track, learning about horses. Her summers and school holidays were spent interning for Dr. Robert Slobody at his Meadowlands Veterinary Center, where she now is employed.

It's a well-equipped veterinary practice in Willoughby that performs many soft tissue and orthopedic surgeries, and Slobody has become known for his repair of fractures and joints. Kelly is continuing her training under him and will enroll in post-graduate training in orthopedic surgery, she said.

"So when Sgt. (Mark) Allen was referred to Meadowlands for Killian, I asked Dad if he would help," Kelly said. "I knew my dad had a big interest in endodontic procedures, and I'd be able to learn from an expert."

To most of us, endodontic procedures are root canals.

"Killian came from Germany and is very driven," said Allen, who is in charge of the four-dog canine unit for the Ashtabula County Sheriff's Office. "We aren't sure how he broke off his teeth, but they were in danger of being infected."

When a tooth -- either human or animal -- breaks off, the nerve inside the root is exposed and bacteria can enter the canal and cause infection, the doctors said.

"If Killian had been a human, he would have been in a lot of pain," Brad said about his first canine patient. "All four cuspids -- known as eye teeth in humans -- were involved."

The teeth, also known as canines, are called eye teeth because the roots are long and reach up near the eyes.

Allen said Killian showed no signs of pain, but noted he's a very stoic dog.

"I had one dog who died of cancer just days after he'd been diagnosed, and he never seemed sick at all," Allen said. "I love dogs, and this is my fourth."

Killian, who weighs 99 pounds, was anesthetized so the surgery could be performed. A continual feed of oxygen mixed with anesthetic was fed by tube into his throat.

A sensor was attached to Killian's tongue to monitor his vital signs as he slept.

"It's called an oximeter, and it measures pulse and oxygen content," Kelly said. "(With) humans, the sensor would be attached to a finger."

Dog teeth and human teeth have their differences, of course, and Brad discovered them while working on Killian.

"The tooth is a lot longer," he said, asking Kelly for a millimeter ruler so he could measure it. "It's 36 millimeters (about 1.5 inches)."

He extracted a miniscule file he'd been using to remove tissue from the tooth's canal to show the hair-sized necrotic nerve he'd taken from the dog's upper right cuspid.

"We remove the decayed tissue from the canal and then fill it with paste, which hardens and seals the canal off so bacteria can't enter it."

The two doctors worked side by side for more than three hours, completing three root canals and taking impressions for the four crowns they are having made at Mosky Dental Lab in Cleveland for Killian's four teeth.

"In two to three weeks we will cement the metal crowns in place," Brad said.

Killian remained anesthetized when the two doctors took the bite impression.

"We could not have worked on this dog when it was conscious," Brad said. "It's quite high strung, and the minute they came in he knew something was happening."

Allen had Killian muzzled and leashed before he was sedated and before he regained consciousness after the surgery. He remained groggy for hours afterward, and Allen said he needs to soften Killian's food with water so he can eat.

It may have been Brad's first dental encounter with a dog, but it's probably not going to be his last. He enjoyed working with his daughter, he said.

"I offered to help perform these dental procedures on an animal that is quite valuable and serves the public," he said. "I'll continue to train Kelly on how to perform these procedures on animals coming to Meadowlands."

Wish to help?

Killian's surgery, which will cost $2,000, is not paid for by Ashtabula taxpayers, Sgt. Mark Allen said.

"Support is entirely by donations," he said.

Those wishing to help pay for Killian's dental work can call Allen at 440-576-3562 for donation details.